Humans have a remarkable ability to make inferences that go beyond the data available to them, using information gained in one context to shape judgments in another, and extrapolating from sparse information. They learn about attributes of people and things that cannot be directly observed, and acquire knowledge that aids subsequent learning. I study how people understand and solve these inductive problems. My specific interests are in higher-level cognition, including how people discover the causal structure of the world and how they understand the choices and preferences of others.

Teaching

Information for prospective students

If you'd like to pursue a Ph.D. and might be interested in
working with me, send me an email with some info about your
research interests and academic background. It would be great if you
could include a CV or a link to your homepage.

I'm happy to answer questions, and may be able
to meet if you're around Edinburgh.

If you're not familiar with my research, you can take a look at some of
my publications to get a sense of what I do. You can also see examples of Ph.D. project topics for my institute
here.

It's a good idea to contact prospective supervisors sooner rather
than later, because Edinburgh matches students to supervisors
quite early, and more funding opportunities tend to be available
if one starts earlier. It may also be helpful to note in your application that you are interested
in working with me.